Clothing in New Zealand, 1889
The people of New Zealand are, on the whole, very well clothed. It is a common saying that one may go from one end of the colony to the other…
From: 1892 C.E. To: 1889 C.E.
From New Zealand After Fifty Years by Edward Wakefield, 1889.
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
The people of New Zealand are, on the whole, very well clothed. It is a common saying that one may go from one end of the colony to the other and not see a man with a patch on his coat; and it is literally true that no ragged people of either sex are to be seen anywhere. Another noticeable thing is that the people do not dress to suit the climate or the colonial surroundings, but have retained the English style almost unaltered, and even follow the English fashions pretty closely. No one from home would notice from the dress of the people that they were not English.
The colonists have never fallen into the habit of dressing like Robinson Crusoe, or Paul and Virginia, and the typical colonist, as he is generally represented in England, with a straw hat a yard wide, a flannel shirt, open at the breast, and breeches and boots, is quite an unknown character here.
Gentlepeople, whether in town or country, dress almost exactly as they do in England, except that the beltopper hat is comparatively seldom seen, black, brown, or gray felt hats being the usual wear; but most men have a beltopper which they wear on rare occasions. The same may be said, with little modification, of all other classes of the people, except that they have more clothes and better ones than the corresponding class at home.
Corduroy is not at all common, even among the roughest laborers, but strong moleskin is largely used. For their work, the laboring classes consume great quantities of slop clothing from England, which is sold very cheaply all over the country; but when not at work they wear good broadcloth or tweed.
The cloths made in the colony are coming rapidly into use, and, except among the luxurious classes, will soon super sede the imported kinds. They are not so highly finished as European fabrics, but are made of pure wool throughout, and are immensely serviceable, and very cheap for the quality. Flannel goods and hosiery made in the colony are also the very best, and are largely used by all classes.
All other descriptions of clothing, and women's apparel of every sort, imported from England, can be got at the shops in every town, even in the country, at prices very little in advance of what they cost at home. Boots and shoes of the lower qualities are made here, and are good and cheap ; but all the superior kinds are imported ready made, and are sold at from £1 to ,£1 15s. for men's, and 15s. to £1 for women's boots of best quality.
There is not the smallest necessity for anybody coming to New Zealand to bring any stock of clothing with them. The idea of an "outfit" for New Zealand belongs to a by-gone period of the colony's history, or to the "enquiry" column of the lady's newspapers. Owing to the mildness of the climate, less clothing is needed here than at home; but the people do not stint themselves.
In the matter of dress, as of everything else, they live well; and at any large gathering of them, where, perhaps, there are 5000 or 10,000 people, nothing strikes the visitor more than the total absence of shabbiness, universal equality of comfort in their attire. They all seem to have new clothes on, and to be so accustomed to new clothes that they think nothing about it, any more than they do of having plenty of food to eat and a warm bed to sleep in.
Wakefield, Edward. New Zealand After Fifty Years, Cassell & Company, Limited, 1889.
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